At a glance

Your chance to

A fantastic short cycling trip around some of the best roads in France

Climb one of the Tour de France's most iconic mountains

Excellent accommodation right at the foot of Ventoux

Challenge yourself on a great French Sportive

At a glance

2 full days and 2 half days cycling with 100% vehicle support

100% tarmac roads

Climbs are long and steady (avg 7%)

3 nights in a charming family-run hotel

All breakfasts included

Climb one of the Tour de France's most iconic mountains

Standing at 1912m, Mont Ventoux is known as the 'Giant of Provence', a mass of bare limestone rock that dominates the region and can be seen from miles around. The region boasts some fabulous cycling and the climb has become famously associated with the Tour de France, featuring 14 times since 1951. After a couple of excellent warm up rides we will tackle the climb from Bedoin, passing the Tommy Simpson memorial along the way. This is the most famous and toughest route and a must-do summit for any Tour aficionado.

For an extra challenge, join us on the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux departure:
On the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux departure of the trip we will climb Mont Ventoux along with around 3500 other cyclists whilst competing in one of the best Sportives in France! There is a choice of two distances, the 170km master route or the 102km senior route. The trip follows the same itinerary except on day 3 you'll be riding the event starting in Beaumes de Venise. Please see the trip notes for full details.

Cycling profile

Daily distance in km/miles:

Day 1

38.0km/23.6miles

Day 2

87.0km/54.1miles

Day 3

105.0km/65.2miles

Number of days cycling: 2 full days and 2 half days of cycling

Pace: Approximately 4-6 hours cycling per day

Terrain: Low altitude; 100% tarmac

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start Sault at the foot of Ventoux. Short warm up ride through the Provencal countryside.

Start in the charming village of Sault, right at the foot of Mont Ventoux. After time to check bikes and make any final adjustments, we will do a short warm up ride south west from Sault through the Provencal countryside around Monieux. That evening there will be a welcome meeting with your leader and the opportunity to discuss the route in more detail.
See more images and videos

2Day 2Ride to Montbrun, then climb the Col de Macuegne (1068m) for views of Mont Ventoux. After an easier climb we then tackle the Col de l'Homme Mort (1213m)

For our first full day of cycling we'll take a lovely quiet route from Sault to Montbrun, before climbing the Col de Macuegne (1068m / 9.5km long / average 5%). Although far less famous than Ventoux, this is one of the 'must do' climbs of the area as it enjoys spectacular views over Mont Ventoux. After an easier 4.5km climb, we'll join the Col de l'Homme Mort (1213m) before a speedy descent overlooking at the Plateau d'Albion. Returning to Sault we pass the Provencal villages of Banon and Simiane La Rotonde, perched high above the surrounding lavender fields.

3Day 3Ride through the magnificent Gorges de la Nesque to Bedoin and climb Mont Ventoux (1912m) by the most famous Tour de France rout / Ride the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux

We can't ignore the 'Giant of Provence' any longer, so today we head to the iconic Mont Ventoux. Our ride starts on a great road that winds itself through the magnificent Gorges de la Nesque. This is a lovely ride in its own right, but only the start of today's excitement. Arriving in Bedoin we start the climb of Mont Ventoux (1912m) by the most famous and difficult Tour de France route. It is certainly a challenge as the road climbs for 21.5km at an average of 7.5% to the summit. The final 5km are tough with pitches as steep as 10.7 %, you'll have earnt a celebratory drink by the top! A scenic 30km descent takes us back to Sault, probably for another celebratory drink.
Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux departure:
Today is a day to test the legs! After an early breakfast we will transfer to Beaumes de Venise to collect our race numbers for the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux. At around 8.30 am the event starts and we can challenge ourselves to either the 102km senior, or the 170km master route with 3500m of climbing on some fantastic roads around the beautiful Provence region of France and taking in one ascent of the famous Mont Ventoux climb. After the event we transfer back to Sault where we will have the evening to relax and celebrate in the picturesque old town.

Your images

Guided Group

This is a small group guided holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You have a good level of fitness and are looking for a physically challenging holiday. Previous experience is essential for activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

Gran Fondo sportive event entry (if booking Gran fondo departure)

Transfers to and from the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux

What's not included

Travel insurance

Bike hire (available locally from GBP95 paid on booking)

Single accommodation (available on request from GBP130)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Hotel Le Signoret

We stay in a charming, newly renovated family run hotel situated at the foot of Mont Ventoux in the village of Sault. All rooms have en suite facilities and the hotel is in the perfect location for us to squeeze in small rides through the mountains on the two half days.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for British passport holders.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

The riding on this trip can be accomplished by any fit cyclist, but it is as much a state of mind as your fitness that will see you up and over the cols. The secret to making it up the mountains is to plug away at a steady pace and stop whenever you feel tired. We cover the same routes as the Tour de France but this trip is definitely not a race!
It is likely that there will be quite a distance between the front and rear cyclists in the group. The vehicle will shuttle between them as much as is practical (giving moral support and refreshments), but once you have set off on the downhill side it is possible to get a long way ahead of other people very quickly. There may be long stretches when you don't see other members of the group or the vehicle. Each day you will be supplied with a map and route notes including altitude profiles.
The roads are good quality - they just aren't flat! Although the gradients do not get much steeper than 10%, they can be long. Daily distances are realistic, and there are plenty of opportunities for stronger riders to add more kilometres if they wish. The support vehicle is always available for riders who have achieved their personal goal and require a lift up or down any of the hills.
This trip is classified Road and graded Activity Level 6 (Challenging/Tough). Please see the brochure or the website for more information on classification and grading. 2.5 days cycling, average 77km/day (48 miles), average elevation gain of 1250m/day (with 2060m climbing on the final Ventoux day). 100% vehicle support.

Eating & drinking

All continental breakfasts are included. If you are a vegetarian please advise us when you book. Lunches and dinners are not included, giving you the flexibility to select your own diet. We suggest that you bring with you your favourite snacks as the choice of energy bars available locally is fairly limited.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want
to know about this trip, including detailed itinerary and full kit list.

Weather & seasonality

At the time of year that we run trips here, the weather is often glorious and sunny, but given its height and the surrounding terrain, there can often be a micro-climate on Mont Ventoux. As the name might suggest (venteux means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit so you should be prepared for this. Maximum temperatures can be up to 30degC, but this will vary with altitude. If we are riding through low cloud it can get very chilly on the descents, but these should be short spells only. There is of course the possibility of wet weather so you should also come prepared for this.

Reviews & community

I'd never been to Provence before but will definitely return after this first visit. Long, windy roads with very little traffic, perfect for cycling! Pretty villages perched on hilltops and varied terrain. Can cycle from hotel and back every day with mont ventoux in sight most of the time.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Reaching the summit of Mont Ventoux on a calm, sunny day and to share the experience with my fellow cyclists.

What did you think of your group leader?

Fantastic! Yves could not do more for us to try and ensure we had an enjoyable weekend and was as flexible as possible with cycling options. He was also very knowledgeable regarding the area and roads, history etc so was great to have on board!

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Bring your own energy drinks, gels, snacks etc as limited options in the village where you stay. We all hired bikes through exodus and they were all good quality and the bike shop flexible re putting on your choice of type of pedals etc

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We were lucky with weather as all 4 days were sunny and warm (April). Mont ventoux is definitely the highlight but the cycling over there is worth going for anyway.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Questions about your trip

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